Rated of 5
by Barbara W. (Watertown, NY) Delicious!
A totally tasty read! The underlying connection to Edith Wharton's book enhanced the storyline as my mind kept making comparisons to characters and plot. The contemporary setting created a completely updated twist on Wharton's classic themes.
Rated of 5
by Tillie H. (Baltimore, MD) Just so-so
This book has an interesting storyline, but there is so much extraneous material in it that it became a chore to get through it. The plot intrigued me, but I just couldn't get through the entire thing because of how things moved so slowly.
Rated of 5
by Susan M. (Bloomfield Hills, MI) Tries but in the end...
This book peaked my interest by the second chapter and as I read I thought this might be a good book for my book group. Unfortunately midway through part 2 I began to doubt that this book would be a good book group book. Reading part 3 sealed the deal. Midway through part 2 the author throws in a family crisis which was vaguely foreshadowed on page 18, but never really explored. Part 3 was just a quick tying together of loose ends. I gave the book a 3 because I thought the writing was quite good and I found myself caring about the characters. Unfortunately the plot lines strayed and weakened. With additional editing and rewriting I would say that this book has strong potential.
Rated of 5
by Rosemary C. (Austin, TX) The Innocents
A well-done story about the contrast of the somewhat banal everyday, secure, familiar and predictable life with the exotic and unfamiliar that can create an almost irresistible draw. I thought this book a slow read at first, but I think that is what the author intended to exemplify the everyday life of Adam and the Jewish community in London. The pace picked up with the introduction of the forbidden cousin and Adam's strong attraction to her. The characters are well-developed and likable, and this reader could feel empathy for all of them. I could sense the almost claustrophobic atmosphere of the tight-knit community, but also appreciate its warmth, generosity and support. It's understandable that Adam would be drawn to an "outsider" so different from what he has known and it's interesting to read what choices he and those he is closest to make in a crisis. All in all, a satisfying book.
Rated of 5
by Pamela F. (Grants Pass, OR) The Innocents
For me this book was a slow starter. I think it was because I did not attach to the characters that much and that was a problem throughout for me. I enjoyed reading about the Jewish culture, but the characters kind of annoyed me. It was an interesting concept to take a classic and put it in today's world...I finished it, I didn't dislike it, but not one of my favorites.
Rated of 5
by Sarah B. (Streamwood, IL) The Innocents
An excellent retelling of an old favorite. I enjoyed the book very much, but found that I didn't like the three main characters very much. I suppose that shows how well written the book is. The framing of the story in the Jewish community added extra interest to me, as it was an interesting way to learn about customs and traditions that were new to me.
Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today's globalized world.
The story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. But that exception is the beating heart of this extraordinary novel.
The most mature work yet from an incomparable storyteller, TransAtlantic is a profound meditation on identity and history in a wide world that grows somehow smaller and more wondrous with...
First time novelist Vaddey Ratner captured my heart and senses in this novel based on her childhood in Cambodia. Her story transcends any news story...
read more
From the first page, I was drawn in by the lyrical writing of the author and mesmerized as the narrator, eight year old Raami, remembered the years...
read more
Trite but true, all good things must come to an end. I so wanted to keep reading the wonderful prose, the settings that let one think they are part...
read more
Kenn Nesbitt is new Children's Poet Laureate(Jun 12 2013) Kenn Nesbitt has been named the new Children's Poet Laureate: Consultant in Children's Poetry to the Poetry Foundation, which noted that the two-year position...
Full Story
of 5
by Barbara W. (Watertown, NY) 
of 5
by Tillie H. (Baltimore, MD) 
of 5
by Rosemary C. (Austin, TX) 
